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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29826999">The better version of sand</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpookyStar29/pseuds/SpookyStar29'>SpookyStar29</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Lucifer (TV), NCIS</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Goodbyes and Hellos, Happy Ending?, We Miss You, i dont know which tags i should use</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 20:36:31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>553</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29826999</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpookyStar29/pseuds/SpookyStar29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>(The first chapters are set right after 18x08, the upcoming ones about 14 months later)</p><p>Something strange happens to Jack while being in afghanistan. Meanwhile, the team tries to go on with their lifes. <br/>And it takes a while for everything to settle, but in the end, everyone's exactly where they are supposed to be ...</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Jethro Gibbs &amp; Jacqueline "Jack" Sloane</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>20</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I just started writing without actually thinking ... pouring all my feelings out. </p><p>I might change the description, the tags, etc with the ongoing writing process. I'm not sure how long it'll take me, though. So in case you want to start reading ... enjoy what's there so far :)</p><p>Just one note: there will be a good ending.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>She was a believer in "let music heal you". <br/>It made her let go what pained her, helped her to get it out.<br/><br/>That was why she was sitting there, on the sandy ground, staring into the night sky with earbuds in and felt her tears streem down her cheeks while she was listening to Steve Jabolsky’s "Tessa." <br/><br/>She would see them again, she knew. She would visit them again, she knew that too. <br/>It had been her decision, and she knew it was the right one. But that didn’t mean it hurt less.</p><p>They were her family. Had become, always would be. </p><p>If anyone would have asked her which good bye would hurt the most, she would’ve said Gibbs. Now she wasn’t even sure about that anymore. <br/>She got to say goodbye to him. She was close to him. <br/>He had kissed her. She still remembered the feeling, the many feelings. The comfort.</p><p>But she hadn’t had a chance to hug Ellie, and Nick, and …<br/>Another tear left her eye and she took a deep breath. <br/>Ellie, Nick, Tim, Jimmy, Ducky, Kasie … Faith … Grace … <br/>It was the easiest with Leon. She was used to being far away from him and still being close, she knew how it worked. She only hoped it could work again.</p><p>Jack Sloane took a deep breath, then decided to change the song. An indie-rock one started, and she felt slightly better.</p><p>She still had a mission. That was why she was here. <br/>And she knew she’d come back, see them again. She might have left, and they were far, far away, but true family and friends would never fade.</p><p>That was what made her smile in the end, before she went to her tent. That was what she held on to.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Even if Vance hadn’t told them, they would have known. The moment Gibbs entered, the moment they stopped mid talking to look at him, they knew. <br/>He knew Gibbs would return alone. But he had not been prepared for it, not at all. </p><p>It was the fact he didn’t cut them off. He wasn’t harsh. He was silent, as usual, but he was … calm. <br/>He wasn’t angry.<br/>He was sad.</p><p>Ellie wordlessly stepped close and hugged him. He hugged her back. <br/>Nick pressed his lips together. He didn’t look at McGee, didn’t have to.</p><p>Jack was gone. They had no idea when they’d see her again, what she was doing, how she was doing.<br/>She was just ... gone. Poof, like a genie. With the difference that she existed, somewhere far, far away, doing god-knew-what. </p><p>He already missed their personal ray of sunshine, more than he’d ever admit. He had planned to give her motorcycle-lessons. He had been looking forward to many more drunken bar evenings. Apparently he’d never teach her. <br/><em>Never say never</em>, Jack would say.</p><p>Yes, Jack. Jack who had just left, without even telling them goodbye in person. <br/>He knew why, but still, it hurt. <br/>He wished he could hug her. Tell her how much she meant to all of them. To him. </p><p>His friend. <br/>Wanted to tell her how much he loved her as such. How much he'd miss her. </p><p>And at that thought, Nick Torres felt a tear leave his eyes and he didn’t even make the attempt to wipe it off.</p>
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